Recently, a mesh-size insensitive structural stress definition (structural stress method) is proposed that gives a stress state at weld toe with a relatively large mesh size. The structural stress definition is based on the elementary structural mechanics theory and provides an effective measure of a stress state in front of weld toe. In this study, a fatigue strength assessment for a side shell connection of a container vessel using both the hot spot stress and the Battelle structural stress method was carried out. A consistent approach to compute the extrapolated hot spot stress for design purpose is described and current fatigue guidance is evaluated. Fatigue strength predicted by the two methodologies, e.g. hot spot stress and structural stress approaches, at hot spot locations of a typical ship structure are compared and discussed.